The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Articulating regions of the anatomy can include areas where two bone sections move relative to one another. For example, a humerus can provide a region for articulation with a glenoid bearing. The articulating region, however, can become injured or worn, and can therefore be replaced with various prostheses. Prostheses can replace the glenoid, the humeral head, various other portions of the humerus, or combinations thereof (see FIG. 1). The replacement of both the glenoid and the humeral head is generally referred to as a total joint replacement.
The total joint replacement of the glenoid and the humeral head requires a bearing or articulating surface for both the humeral head and the glenoid. The articulating surfaces are generally positioned relative to the various portions of the remaining natural anatomy in a substantially fixed manner. Materials must be selected for the bearing surfaces for various purposes, and are dependent upon patient defined parameters such as age, musculature, or expected activity level.